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Completed in 1945, “Texas Raiders” is one of the last 20 B-17’s ever built. While World War II combat ended before Texas Raiders flew overseas, the warplane served during the Korean War. The aircraft’s military career included scouting, search and rescue and weather reconnaissance. After the war, the B-17 now in Conroe went on to become a seismic survey aircraft. It was acquired in 1967 by the CAF to be restored to her military configuration.

Of the 12,731 B-17 aircraft that saw combat, only about nine B-17 bombers still fly, according to information from CAF.

According to Blair, he is the only surviving World War II veteran of the 12 young men from his Fort Worth neighborhood who enlisted in 1941.

“I’m the last one left,” said Blair, who served as B-17 flight engineer after he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at age 21. “It brings back memories.”

A 501c3 non profit organization named Friends of Doc has spent years restoring a B-29 to flying condition and recently received an FAA certification for flight. This makes Doc the 2nd B-29 that is still flying. The other flying B-29 is Fifi which is owned and operated by the Confederate Air Force.

It was just announced that Doc will begin a flying tour soon.

The price of freedom is something the protected will never know.

"Even if Trump didn't pay Russian hookers to pee on one another to defile a bed the Obamas once slept on it sounds like something he would do and that's all that matters." DemocratSinceBirth, Wed Jan 11, 2017, 09:32 AM

PC at it's worst. A fine organization of dedicated people forced to change the name from the Confederate Air Force to the Commemorative Air Force. I lived a few minutes from the Hobbs NM base ops for some time and was able to visit the Harlingen base once as well. They had one with the name Enola Gay emblazoned on her but someone said it was not the original from the 'little boy' run on Hiroshima.

Trivia for Ralphie - what plane dropped 'fat man'?

It's not how old you are, it's how you got here.It's been a long road and not all of it was paved.A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes. Gandhi

My Dad and his brother(my Uncle) were in NAVAIR in the pacific during WWII, they were in PB4Y2 aircraft made by Consolidated Vultee. There are none that I am aware of still flying where a few years back one of a very few airworthy still existed. Largest issue for these fine machines is the engines as parts are long since been in production and so few spares to keep them running.

Completed in 1945, “Texas Raiders” is one of the last 20 B-17’s ever built. While World War II combat ended before Texas Raiders flew overseas, the warplane served during the Korean War. The aircraft’s military career included scouting, search and rescue and weather reconnaissance. After the war, the B-17 now in Conroe went on to become a seismic survey aircraft. It was acquired in 1967 by the CAF to be restored to her military configuration.

Of the 12,731 B-17 aircraft that saw combat, only about nine B-17 bombers still fly, according to information from CAF.

According to Blair, he is the only surviving World War II veteran of the 12 young men from his Fort Worth neighborhood who enlisted in 1941.

“I’m the last one left,” said Blair, who served as B-17 flight engineer after he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at age 21. “It brings back memories.”